NJ Doctor Warns About Dangers Of 'iPad Eyes' For Children

PENNINGTON, NJ — Have you heard the term "iPad eyes?"

It's a term eye doctors use to describe an alarming decline in vision they are noticing in children and teenagers — and doctors say that brand-new iPad, tablet or iPhone your child is constantly staring at is likely to blame. In fact, doctors nationwide are reporting an increase in nearsightedness, according to the National Eye Institute.

Cynthia Matossian, MD, a Pennington-based eye doctor, said she unfortunately comes across "iPad eyes" in her practice nearly every single day.

"The frequency of nearsightedness — meaning you can see near but not far away — is increasing in America," said Dr. Matossian, who has been treating children and adults in her Mercer County office for the past 33 years. "We are seeing more and more kids becoming more nearsighted and needing glasses at an earlier age, or even 10- or 12-year-olds needing contact lenses, especially if they play sports. Nearsightedness is an epidemic in the making."

"These days iPads are given as Christmas gifts and schools give our kids personal Chromebooks," she said. "Kids today are streaming videos, playing games and watching movies on their phones. Instead of going out and kicking a ball and practicing using their vision to look far away."

It's been well documented that myopia is increasing in the U.S. and worldwide, according to the National Eye Institute, which falls under the National Institute of Health.

Today, about 41.6 percent of Americans are nearsighted, up from 25 percent in 1971. In fact, projections suggest that almost 50 percent of the world will be myopic by 2050, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). The problem is even worse in Asia and Southeast Asia, where in certain developed countries there, up to 80 to 90 percent of 12-year-olds are nearsighted, according to the NEI.

"The U.S. is starting to parallel a similar trend in Asia. People are becoming more nearsighted in places like Japan, Singapore and China because so much time is spent looking up close at things like phones and computers instead of far away," said Dr. Matossian.

At particular risk is children, she explains, because their eyes are still developing.

"Just like little bodies develop and become bigger, their eyeballs grow and become stronger. When they are small, their eyes are still growing," she explains. "When we grew up at age 2 and 3 we were not exposed to blue light. iPads, smartphones, laptops and computers are definitely here to stay, and the users are getting younger and younger."

What can parents do to protect their children's eyes?

"I think the same way we all know now to put sunscreen on our kids — which parents didn't commonly do years ago — we now all have to be aware of the danger of blue light, and we have to minimize the exposure of blue light from these screens," she said.

Dr. Matossian strongly recommends putting a protective shield, such as Zagg VisionGuard, on your phone, iPad or computer. These screen guards decreases the amount of blue light that emanates from the device, sometimes by as much as 70 percent.

18 months and younger: The American Academy of Pediatrics says no screen time at all for children 18 months and younger "except for things like video chats with grandparents," says Dr. Matossian.

For kids 18 months to 2 years: Minimize screen time. Sit with them and make it family time and explain what the kids are watching.

2-5 years: Continue to minimize and limit screen time. "Keep an eye on what your kids are watching," she says. "I hate to put a strict time on it, but I would say the less, the better. Keep it to half an hour a day for a toddler and no more than that."

For kids ages 5 and up: Make sure smartphones and screen time do not affect sleep, behavior and going outside and getting exercise. "We also have an epidemic on childhood obesity in the U.S. and part of that is based on not doing physical activities and being a coach potato," said the eye doctor. Also, encourage children and teens to sit further away from the screen, such as by watching traditional TV.

Good advice for anyone staring at a screen, regardless of age: "Keep blinking! The further away an object is, the more we blink, which is good for our eyes," says Dr. Matossian. "For example, in a normal conversation you blink 20 to 22 times a minute and you're not even aware of it."

"But when you're staring at a screen, the blink rate drops to four blinks a minute," she says. "This leads to eyes that are tired, irritated and that just want to close."

Bring kids to get a baseline eye exam. Children should get a very basic eye checkup at their pediatrician's office, usually around age 5 when the child knows the alphabet, says Dr. Matossian. "This baseline visit can't hurt even if the child is not exhibiting eye issues," she says.

Be a role model when it comes to devices. The best thing parents can do is consider using vision guards themselves, and overall limit the amount of time spent texting, Googling or hunched over our phones.

"Children have their whole lives ahead of them. We have to protect their eyes," she said. "The eyes were never meant to stare at computers."